We have been discussing our confusion over The Wanted‘s new single, “Walks Like Rihanna,” for nearly two weeks. While the song is built on the same structure of every other pop hit, its lyrics and delivery lacked a sense of tongue-in-cheek/silliness that would make writing a song about something as silly as a girl’s ability to walk like another female acceptable. Now the guys are back with the official video, and though they seem to realize we think it’s a joke, it may be too little too late.

Almost every boy band reaches a point where they release a music video about music videos. By this I mean that the concept of the clip is the group, whoever they may be, trying out a bunch of ideas (often ridiculous) instead of creating a straightforward narrative. “Walks Like Rihanna” is that video for The Wanted, and their idea for a ‘video about videos’ is to spoof famous boy band clips. Backstreet Boys, *Nsync, you name it and there is a chance there is a reference in this clip. That may seem humorous, and at points it is, but overall the lighthearted video doesn’t gel with the more direct delivery of the lines in the actual song. Click below to view the video and see if you agree. (more…)

On Friday we reported on boy band The Wanted prepping a new single entitled “Walks Like Rihanna.” The response from fans and critics around the globe was deafening, with seemingly everyone crying foul even though no one had heard the actual song. Now the track has debuted at radio, and (in a way) appeared online, so I guess now is as good a time as any to figure out what, if anything, is good about a girl who “Walks Like Rihanna.”

First and foremost, groups like The Wanted are obviously not beloved by their fans because of their deep, emotionally moving material. Their target market is generally under the legal drinking age, and those kids want to dance and have a good time. “Walks Like Rihanna” is a track made with those desires in mind, and as such can be praised as a more or less fun song, with a beat made for club life. That said, trying to appeal to girls who feel ugly or those who lack confidence by saying they’re able to walk like someone famous has to be the strangest pickup line we have ever heard. The version available online, which you can stream below, is weak in overall quality but is enough to lead us to believe that this song will soon be tough to escape. Might as well give in now and click below to enjoy (or not) “Walks Like Rihanna.”

The Wanted will have a new album out at some point, but their label would prefer we mention that this single will be out sometime very soon. If you dig it, get it. If not, maybe boy bands are not you. (more…)

No, that headline is not a joke. The Wanted, aka the other boy band tearing up the charts these days, have released a teaser for their new single and it is titled “Walks Like Rihanna.”

You may remember The Wanted from their inescapable radio hit “Glad You Came,” but nothing in the past can prepare for the thirty seconds that await at the end of this post. Though it’s only the chorus “Walks Like Rihanna” already sounds like a hit in the making. The track seems to be about the boys falling in love with a girl who cannot sing or dance, but instead attracts them with her ability to, you guessed it, walk like Rihanna. You can stream the clip at the end of this post.

The Wanted will release the full version of “Walks Like Rihanna” soon. God help us. (more…)

The people have spoken. The 2013 People’s Choice Awards were held yesterday at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, CA and the results don’t seem to surprise many. Katy Perry walked away with four awards, including Favorite Female Artist as well as Music Video, Favorite Pop Artist, and Favorite Fan Following – referring of course to the KatyCats.

Other notable award recipients include One Direction who was awarded Favorite Album and Favorite Song, Jason Mraz who was awarded Favorite Male Artist, and Taylor Swift who was awarded Favorite Country Artist.

Performances throughout the night featured Jason Aldean who belted “My Kind of Party” and R&B favorite Alicia Keys, who sang “Girl on Fire,” as well as “New Day.” Christina Aguilera also performed her ballad “Blank Page” and did so in style, dressed in white and surrounded by candlelight. Perhaps the most entertaining performance of the show was The Wanted‘s acceptance speech, wherein the members broke into an a cappella of “Afternoon Delight.”

Punk Goes Pop 5 has been in stores two weeks and this morning we have the premiere of the first video from the release. Michigan’s We Came As Romans took a quasi-break from their passionate brand of hardcore to tackle The Wanted’s pop hit “Glad You Came” in true mashup fashion. You can view the video below:

It’s been more than a hot minute since multi-platinum boy bands like *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys roamed the earth and ruled the charts. Now, after a decade-long dormancy, cute, heavily-styled guys who sing in harmony and don’t play instruments are suddenly back in fashion.

Once again, the UK is leading the charge onward and upward. While Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC were born in the USA, they enjoyed their earliest success in the UK. This time, though, the new wave of blushing boy bands represents an authentic UK-born-and-bred British invasion.

The members of The Wanted, whose “Glad You Came” single has climbed into the Top 3 of Billboard’s Hot 100 (the quintet’s self-titled US debut album arrives April 24), and One Direction, whose first album, Up All Night, just outpaced Adele to enter Billboard’s Top 200 album chart at No. 1 (176,000 vs. 148,000 copies sold), all hail from Britain and Ireland.

In just a few months, both groups already have enjoyed more US success than Ireland’s Westlife, or Take That, perhaps the UK’s biggest boy band ever, who aside from one Top 10 single (1995’s Back for Good), never made it big in the States. (With the exception of Spice Girls and Bananarama, UK female vocal groups”including All Saints in the ˜90s and, more recently, Sugababes and Girls Aloud”haven’t fared much better in the US over the years.)

During the early weeks of the year, 2012 sounded a lot like 2011, as Adele continued to rule Billboard’s Top 200 album and Hot 100 singles charts with 21, one year into the album’s life span. For all of her ongoing success, by February, the tops of the pops finally began to welcome some much-needed counterprogramming to The Adele Show, featuring rotating regular guest stars Katy Perry, Rihanna and Bruno Mars.

For several weeks, the late Whitney Houston became the chart force in death that she hadn’t been in life for more than a decade (“I Will Always Love You,” her signature No. 1 hit, re-charted and rose to No. 3, and one week, she had three albums in the Top 10), while a number of vets and newcomers arrived on the singles scene looking for a hit. They all came out swinging, but not everyone scored. Although the night”er, the year”is still young, look who’s winning (and losing) now.

The Good

British boy band invasion”it’s on

Teenage girls, you already know this so move on. The rest of you old timers, listen up. The British Invasion is back, but this time it’s taken an NSYNC twist. Meet The Wanted and One Direction”two English boy bands that are, like, totally amazing. The Wanted just played The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and may have gotten arrested. And One Direction, well, they just topped the Billboard charts. No biggie. Watch The Wanted’s performance of “Glad You Came” below”we promise we’re not tricking you into watching a Ron Paul clip.

Johnny Depp, Marilyn Manson cover You’re So Vain

Maybe a sign of the apocalypse, maybe just an innocent musical collaboration, but Johnny Depp and Marilyn Manson are doing a cover of Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain. The two friends (what?) have collaborated on the track for Manson’s upcoming album Born Villain, due out on May 1. Wonder how the The Antichrist and Captain Jack Sparrow sound in harmony? You only have to wait another five weeks to find out.

The Bad

Lil Wayne cited for messy yard

When you hear that Lil Wayne is in trouble for grass, your mind immediately goes to the illegal kind. But turns out he’s in trouble for, literally, grass. The lawn around his Louisiana mansion has grown unruly and neighbors in his gated community ain’t having it and have issued the rapper a citation. Nothing screams déclassé like a mansion with unkempt landscaping.

Madonna debuts Girl Gone Wild video

Madonna looks great for her age. We grant her that. But we find ourselves agreeing with Mr. Ostroff here that Madge has definitely been co-opting cool”first from Nicki Minaj and M.I.A., and now from herself twenty years ago. Madonna’s new video recalls Vogue with its black and white shots of taut, gyrating gay men, but also Beyoncé’s Single Ladies and maybe even Michael Jackson’s Scream. Even if it’s derivative, Girl Gone Wild offers some good eye candy. Watch it below.

The Ugly

Justin Bieber takes a beating

All you folks who haven’t contracted Bieber fever will love this cover of Complex Magazine, wherein the young pop prince is shown beaten to a pulp. If you listen very closely, you can hear the cries for revenge of millions of Beliebers. Watch your back, Complex.

Lana Del Rey gets gagged in Blue Jeans video

Lana Del Rey released her video for Blue Jeans, and it reeks of a perfume ad. You know, black and white footage of smoky lovers swimming around, and, uh, gagging each other. Still, the song is boss. Check it out below.